Immortalities Price
by mannd1068
Summary: This story came from a brain storm of what would happen if those who had demons living in them, merged with their demons and gained their life span, leaving them looking like 25 year olds while those around them age, live and die. This is a death fic


Immortalities Price

By Mannd1068

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, someone else who makes way more money than I do does… do you think he might share?

A/N: This story came from a brain storm of what would happen if those who had demons living in them, (Naruto and Gaara), merged with their demons and gained their life span, leaving them looking like 25 year olds while those around them age, live and die. Also just on a whim, since the Sharingan causes blindness because of constant use, my theory was that so would the Byakugan. This is a death fic.

Naruto closed his eyes as he listened to his wife's soft breaths. It was almost time. The pain in his heart was screamed out by the fox demon, which was now fully integrated into him. He held the hand of his beloved, her once black hair was now the same beautiful shade as her eyes, which were staring unseeing up at the ceiling. All the years of using the byakugan had made her blind the last few years of her life. "Naruto?" The whisper came softly and Naruto gently squeezed the fingers, feeling the fragility of the bones in the once strong hand. The hands that were once so powerful and strong could now barely hold a cup or maneuver a spoon.

"I am here, beloved," Naruto moved so that he sat on the edge of the bed and gently touched her wrinkled forehead, moving the strands of white hair and leaned over and kissed her.

Hinata sighed as she felt the gentleness of Naruto's touch, "Is it time?" She asked, her voice slightly wavering, not in fear but old age.

"Soon," Naruto fought to keep a sob from sounding; he moved his hand and cupped her cheek

"I am not sad," Hinata said, as she turned her face towards her husband of 65 years, and nuzzled his hand. "I will get to see all our old friends…"

Naruto closed his eyes in remembrance. Iruka, his first friend and teacher, Kakashi and his book fetish, Sakura and her husband Sasuke, and Sai all had died leaving behind an empty place in Naruto's life, but the loss of his wife, his soul-mate would be worse.

"I wonder what Neji and Tenten are doing in the next life?" Hinata said softly, "And Kiba and Shino…" She sighed as she remembered her friends as well, "When I see them is there anything that you want me to tell them?"

Naruto choked for a second but said, "tell them I miss them," he said, "tell them I love them…"

Hinata nodded. "My handsome husband," she smiled, "my blond haired, blue eyed friend… How did you ever pick me?" she smiled at the memory, "the girl who could barely look you in the eye and stuttered every time she tried to talk to you."

Naruto laughed softly, "You never gave up on me," he said, "I love you for that."

Hinata smiled again, and her eyes drifted shut as she fell into a light sleep. Naruto moved his hand gently from hers and went to sit by the windowsill of the hospital room and stared out into the sun lit courtyard. He smiled to himself as Sakura and Sasuke's oldest pink haired granddaughter, Keiko flirted outrageously with Neji and TenTen's white eyed grandson, Yugi. The two were in love it was very plain to see, and Naruto wondered fleetingly what their children would look like.

Naruto looked up as the Seventh Hokage came into the room nodding at his father. "How is she?" he asked as he took the chair that Naruto had vacated and stared at his mother.

"She is weakening, Sasuke," Naruto said really looking at his son for the first time in a long time, the black hair that he had inherited from his mother was now streaked with grey, the blue-eyes had crow's feet surrounding them, "it is almost time."

Sasuke nodded and looked up at his father. He was still amazed that the man was over 80, he didn't look a day over 25, which was when the fox demon inside completely merged with him. At first, Naruto had brushed off the fact that he wasn't aging as just good genes, but when his first grandson had been born and he looked younger than his son, he knew that somehow he wasn't going to age. Five years after that he resigned his position as Hokage so he could spend more time with an ailing Hinata.

"Should I call the family?" Sasuke asked.

"Not just yet," Naruto said, "tomorrow…" Sasuke swallowed but nodded and looked back at his mother.

xxxx

The sun was setting as three people came from different directions and met at the gates of Konoha, "Is it time?" the women asked as she looked at the red haired man who came up beside her.

"Almost," he said. Gaara of the Sand looked at the two standing next to him and noticed that they all had the same pain in their eyes, the youki within them was howling with the pain that they could feel radiating from Naruto.

Aki was ten years younger than Naruto and Gaara and had been merged with a six-tailed neko who had run wild in Waterfall Country, her nose twitching slightly to identify the scents in the air. Yuki, was a year older than Gaara, he had been a forced host to a Rabbit youki from Mist that the Akasuki had captured, his long white hair blowing softly in the breeze.

Aki nodded and Gaara led the way to Konoha hospital and up to Hinata's hospital room. Gaara knocked softly on the door and entered it. Naruto looked over at him from his place by the window, he nodded to his one time enemy and now very close friend. Aki scooted around Gaara's gourd and made beeline straight up to Naruto. She looked worriedly up into his face and seeing his grief, pulled him into a hug. Naruto shook trying hard not to cry but finally let the tears flow as he felt Gaara come up beside him and put an arm around him.

Yuki walked over and looked down at Hinata smiling softly at the woman, "she is still beautiful, Naruto," he said looking at the man who was struggling with his emotions.

Naruto looked up at him and smiled, "she will always be beautiful to me."

xxxx

The four sat in the hospital room, each lost in their own thoughts as the dawn light began filtering through the window. Yuki was the first to full merge with his youki, and had helped the host that held Gaara's tanuki escape from the clutches of the Akatsuki, the poor boy's mind was nearly cracked under the constant pressure from the enraged tanuki and the inability to sleep. The two had come to Suna and had surprised Gaara in his office, a frantic call to Naruto had sent Sakura and she and Yuki had been able to integrate the tanuki back into Gaara, this time giving Gaara more control. Neji's ANBU team had come across the half starved and half frozen Aki on a diplomatic mission to Waterfall. She had been cast out of her village with no survival training, her neko had forcefully merged with the girl and that was the only thing keeping her alive. It was years before she stopped looking half starved, and even now was extremely thin.

Aki had been the first of the four to lose a mate, it seemed funny now, but Kiba had become completely smitten by the girl and soon they were inseperable. Kiba was killed ten years later on a simple mission; Aki had been inconsolable for years, moving away from Konoha to Suna and then eventually off the islands. She always came home when one of them needed her, but the memories of her life, the good and the bad, were too painful for her to stay to long. Yuki's wife died in an unexpected complication of childbirth. Her death had been so swift and unexpected that Yuki had nearly died with her. Only Hinata's gentle presence and Naruto's patience had brought the man out of his shell and back into the world around him.

The year after Naruto resigned his position as Hokage, he received a frantic call from Temari and a quickly scribbled note to his family; he had run full out to reach Suna. Hinata had arrived in time to watch Naruto and Aki fighting a grief stricken Gaara in the sands well away from Suna. The fox and the neko had been able to wear Gaara down until he fell to his knees in exhaustion; the two came up and held their friend as he howled his loss of his wife to the sky.

And now it was Naruto's turn to be comforted. Naruto looked up at his friends and said quietly, "thanks for coming," Aki smiled at him sadly from her spot by Hinata's head. Gaara shifted and moved to stand next to Naruto by the window as Yuki continued stroking Hinata's hand. The four looked up as Sasuke and his family came into the room, time was getting so much shorter now. Yuki moved to stand next to Aki as the two moved back by Gaara, letting Naruto and his family surround the woman on the bed. They could hear her breathing getting shallower, her heart beat weaker. Aki's fingers moved closer to Gaara and he looked over at her, seeing the tears streaming down her face, grasped her hand in his. She threw a quick glance at him and tried to smile.

"Naruto?" the breathy voice of Hinata was barely heard.

"I'm here, beloved," Naruto said laying down on the bed with his wife trying to give her comfort, "We are all here."

"Mother," Sasuke said as he took the chair and moved closer holding her hand, "I am here…" Hinata turned her face towards her son's voice.

"I love you, Sasuke," Hinata breathed.

"I love you too, mother," Sasuke said his voice cracking; he used his free hand to grasp his wife's fingers on his shoulder. His son, daughter and grandchildren crowded around them offering what comfort they could.

"I love you, Naruto," Hinata said and turned her face to nuzzle it with his.

"I love you more," Naruto said and gasped as Hinata failed to draw in her next breath. Her heart stuttered and then stopped, Naruto looked at his wife and saw the peaceful smile on her face. Sasuke sobbed quietly in his wife's arms as Naruto buried his face in his wife's shoulder and wept.

xxxx

Naruto looked at the picture in his hands, it was of their wedding day. He had been so proud and Hinata had blushed prettily. The house he shared with Hinata seemed so empty without her quiet presence and Naruto had been drawn to a small box of pictures and photo albums. He put the picture frame down and picked up a photo album leafing through it staring at the faces of friends who were no longer here.

He didn't even flinch as Aki came over and laid her head on his shoulder peering down at the pictures, most of the people she recognized, some had died during the war with Akatsuki. Gaara watched his friend from his place along the wall and finally clearing his throat he said quietly, "after the funeral, Aki and I are going to stop in Suna for a few days and then I am going to join her at her home."

Naruto looked up at his friend in disbelief, "you're leaving…"

Gaara nodded, "yeah, I am."

Aki looked up at Gaara and then back at Naruto, "come with us," she said, "I live an hour away from a major city, but my home is isolated by forest and mountains. I live next to a lake," she looked at him beseechingly, "when I get bored I go to a local university…" she trailed off uncertainly, "I would really like you to come with us."

"I can't," Naruto protested, "this is my home."

"It will always be your home," Gaara said quietly.

"We aren't asking that you leave with us and never come back," Aki assured him, "we just want you to have a place to grieve and a place to heal."

"I'll think about it," Naruto said quietly.

Gaara nodded again, "that's all we ask."

"Hinata's funeral," Naruto's voice cracked on the word, "will be tomorrow."

"We will be there," Aki said. Naruto nodded and wiped a tear from his eye.

The funeral was beautiful and well attended, although some had come out of respect for the Hokage's office, most were friends and 'family.' Keiko came up to Naruto and gave him a long hug, "we will miss her," she whispered, and Naruto nodded. After Iruka's death, Hinata had taken over teaching many of the academy students, Keiko had been in her last class, "but not as much as you will, if you need anything… don't hesitate to ask."

Naruto noticed something on her hand and grabbed it, "So he finally asked you?" he looked up and noticed her blush, "congratulations." Yugi came over and put an arm around his fiancée.

"Thank you, Uncle Naruto," Yugi said bowing slightly to him, causing Naruto to blush, Yugi was always extremely fond of his great uncle and Naruto thought he made a great heir to the Hyuuga clan.

Soon everyone left and Naruto was left staring at the tombstone of his wife, "Hinata, what am I going to do without you?" he asked, his tears seemed to be unending.

'_Live,' _Naruto thought he heard and quickly looked up and saw the brief form of his wife standing a few feet way, _"live for me."_

Naruto nodded, "Aki and Gaara offered me a place to stay…" he whispered and he saw the figure nod and smile at him.

xxxx

Gaara and Aki stood at the Konoha gates and said good-by to Yuki, he was returning to his home in Mist County, "if you ever need us," Aki said and Yuki smiled sadly and then turned away and began his journey home.

The two were about to turn and head out towards Suna when Gaara stopped and turned back. Naruto was walking towards them, a large bag over his shoulder, a solemn faced Sasuke with him. "Please father," Sasuke said, "I'm not going to ask you to not go, but I want you to reconsider…"

"I will come back and visit," Naruto reassured his son, then pulled the man into an embrace, "I promise, I will write often." Sasuke nodded and then stepped back as Naruto came up to Aki. "Is your offer still open?" he asked.

Aki's answer was to pull him into a tight hug, "always for you." She whispered and he gave her a squeeze back, Gaara nodding at him over her shoulder. The three turned and after a good-bye to Sasuke, began walking down the path that led to Suna.

Just before they turned the bend, Naruto looked back and his breath caught, standing next to his son were the spirits of those who had gone before him. Sakura waved at him happily, Sasuke gave him a nod and touched his forehead in salute, Kakashi barely lowered his book to give Naruto a wave, Iruka looked proud, all of their friends who had gone on before were standing at the gate smiling and saying good-bye each in their own way. Naruto lifted his hand and waved at his old friends and smiled, Hinata blew him a kiss. "Good-bye Konoha," Naruto whispered and then jogged to catch up to Gaara and Aki.

Comment and Criticism welcome.

Edit 1/14/08: found some word usage errors as well as spelling, if you see any more let me know!


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